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Uruguay will play four mid-year test matches in 2021. Two will be away to Japan in June and two at home against Romania in July. Head Coach Esteban Meneses can approach the matches as one or as two series. With Uruguay having qualified for RWC 2023 in 2021 he is not under pressure like Gary Gold is with the Eagles or Michael Cheika is in replacing Mario Ledesma.
Meneses will be free to select debutants if desired. In the event that he wants to give new players an opportunity this may see some playing against Japan with the strongest Teros line-up to run-out in Montevideo against Romania. The dates of the season in France and in Major League Rugby are instances that will mean some players will be unlikely to feature for Uruguay against Japan. In addition, the long season may also require rest for some.
Emiliano Faccenini
Uruguay is well-served at hooker. The three players that Meneses took to RWC 2019 are all still playing test rugby. Of them, Facundo Gattas is presently sidelined with injury while Germán Kessler is in doubt based on his busy Pro D2 season with Provence. Provence may feature in the play-off’s; albeit, it appears unlikely. Guillermo Pujadas is the starting hooker for Peñarol with Emiliano Faccenini being his understudy. Faccenini is well-placed to get the call-up to join Pujadas in the 23 for Los Teros.
Lucas Bianchi
Uruguay’s starting pair of locks at RWC 2019 was Manuel Leindekar and Ignacio Dotti. They remain the first choice pair, though dates meant Meneses has utilized alternatives in 2021. Both players are unlikely for Japan. Franco Lamanna is expected to be avaliable. Peñarol players Felipe Aliaga and Juanjuan Garese are both sidelined through injury. As such, the Peñarol locks on target to tour Japan are Diego Magno and Eric Dosantos. Both are flankers converted to second-row based on the needs of Uruguay. Lucas Bianchi is playing flanker for Peñarol and is on the radrar for June both as a flanker and covering lock.
Tomás Etcheverry
Indications are that Uruguay’s second-row options will be below full-strength. In addition to Bianchi possibly playing second-row fellow Peñarol forward Tomás Etcheverry is another name that is well-placed to make his test debut in 2022. The 20-year-old is 1.95m tall which makes him taller than Dosantos, Magno, Aliaga, and Bianchi. He has had opportunities in SLAR 2022 for Peñarol and it would be no surprize to see his name on the roster to tour Japan in June.
Carlos Deus
Peñarol recruited Manuel Diana back to Uruguay from Major League Rugby. He was a strong performer for the Toronto Arrows and his experience had him well-placed to help lead the team in SLAR 2022. It has not played out as such as injury and surgery have seen Diana out of action. Carlos Deus has taken the step up to play regularly for Peñarol at N8. This has had the added benefit of enabling Manuel Ardao to focus on playing flanker. Deus is now placed to not only play for Los Teros against Japan but to fill-in for Diana as the starting Teros N8.
Juan Manuel Tafernaberry
Uruguay will be without Santiago Arata for the tour to Japan. Agustín Ormaechea could feature, though is more likely to just play against Romania. Arata’s involvement in July is heavily in doubt. This leaves Peñarol’s starting scrum-half, Tomás Inciarte as the probable starting 9 against Japan. There are to players at Peñarol who are providing back-up to Inciarte. Of them Juan Manuel Tafernaberry appears to be the best-bet to join Inciarte on the tour of Japan. He was very close to debuting for Uruguay in November 2021.
Juan Zuccarino
Uruguay’s starting fly half Felipe Berchesi is unlikely to tour Japan. His busy season in France will limit his involvement to playing against Romania. Felipe Etcheverry is presently having a stand-out SLAR season. The Uruguayan has been the leading fly half in the South American league. His understudy is Argentine Nicolás Roger. In short, there is no Uruguayan fly half understudy at Peñarol; yet, Uruguay has cover in the form of Juan Zuccarino. He is plaing as a utility back for Selknam and will be an option to cover fly half in June.
Bautista Basso
The departure of Nicolás Freitas to France came as no surprise. He has quickly gone about his work for Vannes with success. Gastón Mieres, and Juan Manuel Alonso are additional leading Uruguayan mid-field / outside backs who will miss the tour to Japan due to timing. The all-Uruguayan mid-field and back-three at Peñarol will be asked to step-up to face Japan. This will likely provide Bautista Basso with his first test cap. Basso has proven to be up to the level required in SLAR and could play either outside center or wing for Uruguay in June.
